I have a thing for recipe books, and each time I visit my local library, I grab some different ones to study and find new recipes to test. My favorites are those featuring baking—the types of cakes and biscuits (cookies) my mother used to make when I was a child.

New Zealander, Alexa Johnson has written several recipe books on baking. The books are called Ladies, A Plate, and the one I’m studying at present is called Ladies, A Plate: The Collection.

One of the things she mentions at the start of her recipe books is about writing things down. She says to record your experience with the recipe in the actual book since this adds interest and usefulness to the recipe book when it is passed down within a family. Forget the rules about writing in books.

At first I thought, no way! Because nothing annoys me more than checking out a library book only to find a previous reader has “corrected” it. But then I thought about how useful it would be to have the knowledge of previous cooks in my family. I would love reading notes written by my grandmother or mother since they were both excellent cooks. The idea really appealed to me, and now I’m a convert. I can’t wait to start writing notes in my recipe books.

This photo was taken back in 1997, I think, and this is my younger self attempting to buy avocadoes in a village market somewhere in Zimbabwe. The avocadoes were really good, and I still remember how tasty they were. I have a determined look on my face as I attempt to bargain, but they were cheap. I remember that too. I enjoy bargaining, but it is always a relief to return home and look at the prices in our shops.

Do you like bargaining for goods? Or do you prefer your purchases to be marked with the price?

This is Crater Lake National Park in Oregon and one of my favorite spots. The color of the lake is just gorgeous—a deep blue. The lake is actually an old volcano caldera and you can drive around to view the lake and the crater from different spots.

Mr Munro and I dined at the lodge here and had a berry cobbler for dessert. I have fond memories of that cobbler. Yum!

What are our favorite Christmas Treats? Books, of course! Stop by each blog for a chance to win fabulous books & gifties for the Holidays!

I love to read, and I’m looking forward to the holidays in order to dive into some of the books currently waiting for me on my kindle. Time for this writer to have a rest!

Here are some of my favorite reads from this year:

1. Burn For Me by Ilona Andrews. This is the first book in a new series, and I loved it. Connor “Mad” Rogan is my new book boyfriend. I cannot wait for the next book in this series.

2. Written in Red by Anne Bishop. Meg Corbyn is on the run, and she hides in a compound belonging to the others – shifters and those capable of magic. This book is also the first in a series, and I gobbled up the three books written to date. The reviews are mixed on this series, but I really enjoyed the three books.

4. Lord of Scoundrels by Loretta Chase – an oldie historical but a goodie. This is a classic, and if you enjoy historical romances, this is definitely one you should check out.

5. Dirty Little Secrets by Liliana Hart. This one is a mystery with a romantic element, and it’s currently free. It’s the first book of a series with ongoing characters, and I inhaled the five books to date in this JJ Graves mystery series.

6. Kodiak’s Claim by Eve Langlais. I’ve read several of Eve’s series, but hadn’t read this one until recently. Eve knows how to weave in the funny and I loved the heroine in this one. The poor hero didn’t know what struck him – oh, wait. That was a frying pan and bullets in the butt. This is book one in the Kodiak Point series.

What are some of your favorite reads for this year?

CONTEST: I’m giving away one $5 Amazon gift certificate and six readers can choose their choice of one of the following box sets.

I enjoyed the first two books in Bella Jewel’s loosely connected series, Alpha’s Heart. Hard to Fight and Hard to Break were both great books, so I was excited to read Hard to Forget, the final book in the series.

The third book in the sexy Alpha’s Heart series by USA Today bestseller Bella Jewel.

Delaney, a professional bodyguard, has spent years trying to prove herself in a male dominated industry. Now she’s facing her greatest challenge yet.

Bad boy billionaire Jax Shields has made plenty of enemies on his climb to the top, but being in the wrong place at the wrong time has put his life at risk. Now he’s putting his life in the hands of Delaney and her team. He demands the best in everything, and he doesn’t think she has what it takes to protect him. He’s also made it clear he’d rather have her on her back then covering his. Will Delaney be able to prove herself to the most arrogant-and devastatingly handsome-man she’s ever met?

Review

Delaney wanted to be in the military but bad eyesight means she needs to think of an alternative occupation. Her second choice is to become a bodyguard and she gives her all to become a fully-fledged bodyguard. She works for Thorpe Security, and her boss says she must get the better of him or a senior bodyguard before she can do a job on her own. Delaney is determined to get there, and when she finally does, she’s thrilled, but she hadn’t counted on falling for the man she’s paid to guard or that he might not want a woman guarding his body.

This book is written in first person

Things I liked about this book:

1. Ms. Jewel always writes heroines with unusual occupations, and this book is no exception. It’s a fun read watching Delaney go after her dreams in the male dominated bodyguard field.

2. It’s a page-turner. This was a book that kept me turning the pages in order to learn what happened next. It’s easy and pleasurable reading.

3. The hero, Jax. An alpha hottie with an attitude to match. I hearted him.

Things that didn’t work quite as well for me:

1. There were a few things that happened in the plot that made me think “Really?” Some of the plot edges toward over the top. That said, they didn’t bother me enough to stop reading.

Ms. Jewel takes an unusual occupation for the heroine and makes it work. A fun, sexy read with likeable characters and a suspense element. Recommended.

Note: review copy received via NetGalley.

About The Author

Bella Jewel is a USA Today bestselling author. She lives in North Queensland where she’s working on her next novel.